Candy Store
by ravens rising
Summary: He twitches and pushes the phantoms away, something he's had to do far too frequently within the last month. Ichigo/Urahara.


Title: Candy Store  
Rating: PG-13  
Word Count: 657  
Warnings: mentions of character death, mentions of sex  
Characters: Ichigo, Urahara, mention of Rukia  
Pairings: Ichigo/Urahara, maybe a small hint of Ichigo/Rukia  
Notes: This is a present for a good friend over at livejournal.  
Also, this is very unbeta'd, so feel free to point out and laugh at any grievous mistakes. I have a strange feeling that there are some. *prods at it tentatively*

* * *

Ichigo can smell smoke. Realistically, he knows that this is unlikely, unless the smoke is coming from another building nearby, because the building that he is standing in had been destroyed weeks ago. Yet, he still can smell the smoke, and in the back of his mind he can almost hear again the crash as the building collapses around him. He twitches and pushes the phantoms away, something he's had to do far too frequently within the last month.

He jams his hands in his pockets and heads toward the speck of white he had spotted, pure and out of place amidst the browns and greys of the destruction.

Kisuke does not look up as Ichigo approaches, though Ichigo knows that there's no way that Kisuke hadn't sensed him coming. The former shopkeeper is sitting very still, his back up against something that might have once been a shelf. He is staring down at his hat, clutched tightly in his hands, his knuckles white.

Not for the first time, Ichigo wonders about the history of the infamous hat, and now he has to wonder if it's tied in with any of the people that died during the war.

He grimaces as he comes to a stop in front of the sitting man.

Kisuke still doesn't look up, doesn't acknowledge his presence at all.

Ichigo scowls down at the blonde head, but doesn't say anything.

He thinks.

He has mixed feelings about the former shop. The first time he'd been there hadn't exactly been pleasant. Yes, that was where he had become stronger, had first pushed himself to his limits, had first felt truly _alive_. Yet always at the back of his mind, his soul, had been a fear that burned as fiercely as his excitement, a fear that murmured _Rukia, Rukia, Rukia, Rukia can't die_.

But later on, it had been better. Then, it had been used as a headquarters of sorts. Yes, there was fear then too, as the war escalated, but it had been a fear shared by all, part of what had united very different people in camaraderie, sealing friendships that he _knew_ would last for the rest of their lives (and afterlives too). He had found more than friendship, too, in the man he was now gazing down at.

He wonders if the broken shelf behind Kisuke was part of the shelf that they had made love against, one night near the height of the war. The thought causes a tight, painful feeling in his chest.

He can't even imagine what Kisuke is feeling.

It's just wrong, seeing the man like this. Kisuke isn't someone who is... broken. He's too much of a stubborn bastard to break.

He reaches down and jerks the hat out of his lover's hands. Kisuke's head snaps up in surprise. For some reason, Ichigo feels a strange sense of relief when Kisuke's startled eyes meet his. He reaches over and shoves the hat back on Kisuke's head.

"C'mon." He growls. "Aren't you supposed to be some kind of genius? Rebuilding it should be easy. Betcha could even make it better than before."

Kisuke stares at him blankly for a moment, and then slowly, a small smile tugs at his lips.

Ichigo smirks back. "Especially because I'll help you."

Kisuke raises an eyebrow. "Oh really?" He murmurs. "I wasn't aware that you had an interest in running a candy store." Though they both know the store was much more than that.

Ichigo pauses. That wasn't exactly what'd he'd meant, but… why not? He has nothing better to do. He is stuck between two worlds, anyway. What better place is there to stay? With Kisuke.

Should be interesting, at least.

He smiles. "Why the hell not?" He says, reaching out and offering his lover a hand up.

As Kisuke's hand slides into his, Ichigo sees that the smile has finally reached Kisuke's eyes.

Maybe they'll be all right after all.


End file.
